1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to bulk material containers and more particularly to a container for shipping, storing and dispensing bulk material from a container having a recloseable dispensing opening formed in one of its walls.
Large size containers formed from lightweight panel material, such as corrugated board, for holding granular or powdered material generally do not provide sufficient rigidity for the container in order for two or more of the containers to be stored in superposed relation. These containers are usually formed with a cutout or panel closed opening adjacent the depending limit of one of its walls for dispensing the granular material, however, these openings are generally formed rectangular and are subject to failure of the container wall, as a result of the mass of the contained material, at one or more of the corners of the rectangular dispensing opening, particularly at the time the material is being dispensed from the container, which results in the necessity of discarding the container after a onetime use.
This invention provides rigidly constructed bulk materail containers permitting the containers to be filled with approximately one ton of powdered or granular material and superposed in storage or for shipping. Additionaly, the containers are provided with a dispensing opening in the depending end portion of one wall which is easily reclosed after emptying the container and which will not result in a rupture of the container wall edges defining the dispensing opening. Since the dispensing opening is opened and closed by a door cover, separate from the container structure, dispensing opening door flaps hingedly connnected with the container wall, are eliminated thus permitting the container to be emptied of bulk powdered material, such as flour, by an air pressure or vacuum system having an intake defined by a throat end wall surface contiguously contacting a container outer wall surface around a dispensing opening therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most pertinent prior patent is believed to be U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,152 which discloses an upright polygonal container having a bottom opening in one of its walls and a bottom tray in which a plurality of overlapping and folding door panels interposed between container walls are manually opened outwardly in a hinging action to provide a pouring spout which may be refolded to a closed position.
This invention is distinctive over this patent by providing an upright container having a dispensing opening formed in the depending end portion of one of its walls closed by a door cover overlapping the outer surface of the container end wall surrounding the door opening and adjacent edge portions of the adjacent container side walls as opposed to interposing the door cover between the container walls. The purpose of the overlapping door cover is to prevent contamination of the container wall around the dispensing opening that would be detrimental to contained edible food when discharged from the container. The door cover held in door opening closed position by straps surrounding the periphery of the container and the door cover.